Iran’s interior minister says Afghans should go and rebuild their own country

Iran's Minister of Interior has called for Afghan migrants residing in Iran to "go to their own country and work there to rebuild it" amid rising numbers of immigrants from neighboring Afghanistan.

Eskandar Momeni's comments, delivered during a television appearance on Monday, have drawn criticism for perceived contradiction with Iran's own policies, particularly as the country continues to issue thousands of visas to Afghans daily.

During the program, Momeni justified the remarks by stating that "Iran cannot handle this volume of migration." His comments, however, have been met with skepticism from observers who argue that Iran's actions contradict its rhetoric. While Iranian officials, including Momeni, repeatedly say that Afghan migrants should return home, their actions, such as the continued issuance of visas, suggest otherwise.

Many believe the government is trying to appease public demands to reduce the presence of millions of Afghan migrants, blamed for increasing social and financial burdens, while quietly maintaining policies that keep the borders open.

The Iranian government has invested three billion euros to construct a border wall, yet reports indicate that Afghan migrants who are deported often return, some even jumping over the wall to re-enter Iran.

In his television address, Momeni clarified that the "priority is for those who enter illegally and unlawfully," and emphasized the need for migrants to "respect the mechanisms of the host country." He went further, blaming Afghan migrants for the rise in unemployment in Iran, stating that "a lot of job opportunities are being taken away."

Critics argue that while the government wants to portray itself as tough on immigration, it continues to benefit from the presence of Afghan migrants in other ways. Some have accused Tehran of using Afghan migrants to bolster its regional influence, with reports suggesting that Iran has previously recruited Afghan fighters for its military operations in Syria.

The surge of Afghan migrants into Iran since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, estimated to have grown from 2.5 million to as high as 10 million, has only deepened public frustration, as Iran grapples with its own economic crisis and strained social services.

Meanwhile, human rights organizations have Iran’s treatment of Afghan migrants. In August, Shargh daily reported the arrest of several Afghan teenagers between the ages of 10 and 17, despite their having proper documentation. One notable incident involved a violent confrontation between law enforcement and a young Afghan immigrant named "Seyed Mahdi" in Damavand County, which sparked outrage.

The arrest was followed by a video that surfaced online, showing a police officer kneeling on Mahdi’s neck, a scene that immediately drew comparisons to the death of George Floyd in the US, to which Iranian officials reacted widely including Supreme Leader Ali Khameni who slammed it.

The treatment of Afghan migrants in Iran has been increasingly scrutinized by international organizations.

Amnesty International has raised concerns about the "routine arbitrary detention" of Afghan nationals in Iran, alongside reports of torture and other forms of ill-treatment.

The rights group Hengaw has also issued warnings about the growing tide of government and societal racism toward Afghan migrants, describing the situation as "catastrophic."

For many, the contradiction in Iran’s policy, open borders on one hand, and demands for migrants to leave on the other, reflects a deeper struggle within the government to balance its geopolitical interests with rising domestic pressures.